St. Augustinegrass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is a warm-season grass with medium density and medium to dark green color. Of all the warm season grasses, it is the least cold tolerant and has the coarsest leaf texture. St. Augustinegrass grows best in warm, humid areas that are not exposed to long periods of cold weather. In fact, its lack of cold tolerance is the major limiting factor in determining its use in North Carolina. Centipedegrass can often be confused with St. Augustinegrass. However, centipedegrass has alternating leaves at the nodes whereas St. Augustinegrass has opposite leaves at the nodes. Centipedegrass also has a more pointed, slenderer leaf blade than St. Augustinegrass. Both leaf blades are V-shaped in cross section, but that of St. Augustinegrass has a more obviously boat-shaped tip.

• For a month-by-month St. Augustinegrass lawn maintenance calendar, see St. Augustinegrass Lawn Maintenance Calendar, AG-540.

• SEEDHEAD / FLOWER
  • seedhead a thick spike with spikelets imbedded along the sides
    Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4
• VERNATION TYPE
  • leaves folded in the bud
    ​Figure 5
• LIGULE TYPE
  • short fringe of hairs, 0.01 inches (0.3 mm) long
    ​Figure 6, Figure 7
• GROWTH SEASON / LIFE CYCLE
  • warm season turf
• AURICLE TYPE
  • absent
    Figure 7
• LEAF BLADE TIP SHAPE
  • boat shaped; blunt; not hairy
    ​Figure 8, Figure 9, Figure 10, Figure 11
• LEAF BLADE WIDTH
  • 0.16 - 0.4 inches (4 - 10 mm) wide
• STOLON PRESENCE
  • present; stout
    Figure 12
• RHIZOME PRESENCE
  • absent
• COLLAR TYPE
  • continuous; not hairy, constricted
    ​Figure 13
• SHEATH MARGIN
  • open; sheath is slightly hairy along edges and toward top
    Figure 5

Figure 1. St. Augustinegrass.

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Figure 1. St. Augustinegrass.

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Figure 2. St. Augustinegrass seedhead.

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Figure 2. St. Augustinegrass seedhead.

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Figure 3. St. Augustinegrass seedhead.

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Figure 3. St. Augustinegrass seedhead.

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Figure 4. St. Augustinegrass.

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Figure 4. St. Augustinegrass.

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Figure 5. St. Augustinegrass vernation.

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Figure 5. St. Augustinegrass vernation.

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Figure 6. St. Augustinegrass ligule.

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Figure 6. St. Augustinegrass ligule.

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Figure 7. St. Augustinegrass ligule.

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Figure 7. St. Augustinegrass ligule.

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Figure 8. St. Augustinegrass leaf blade tip shape.

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Figure 8. St. Augustinegrass leaf blade tip shape.

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Figure 9. St. Augustinegrass.

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Figure 9. St. Augustinegrass.

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Figure 10. St. Augustinegrass.

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Figure 10. St. Augustinegrass.

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Figure 11. St. Augustinegrass leaf blade shape.

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Figure 11. St. Augustinegrass leaf blade shape.

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Figure 12. St. Augustinegrass stolon.

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Figure 12. St. Augustinegrass stolon.

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Figure 13. St. Augustinegrass collar type.

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Figure 13. St. Augustinegrass collar type.

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